Antony, Mark
Antony, Mark (Marcus Antonius),Roman statesman and general. 1. The truth of his career and personality has been heavily overlaid by legend, as first hostile propaganda presented him as a villain, then romantic biography turned him into a figure of tragic self-destruction.
2. Eldest son of Marcus Antonius (Creticus), he was born in 83 (or, less likely, 86) bc. His youth was allegedly dissipated. He distinguished himself as cavalry commander under Aulus Gabinius in Palestine and Egypt (57–4), then joined Caesar in Gaul, where, apart from an interval in Rome (53–2), he remained till the end of 50; in 51 he was quaestor. As tribune in 49 he defended Caesar's interests in the senate, fled to his camp when the ‘last’ (i.e. emergency) ‘decree’ was passed (senatus consultum ultimum), took part in the fighting in Italy, and was left in charge of Italy during Caesar's Spanish campaign. In 48 he served in Greece...
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